French Open 2013: Ernests Gulbis launches tirade against 'boring' big four of men's tennis

Ernests Gulbis has long been the wild child of tennis, a sort of Latvian
Ronnie O’Sullivan, but he outdid himself on Wednesday with an interview in
which he savaged the 'big four' of the men’s game for being bores.

Speaking his mind: Ernests Gulbis's comments, published in the French newspaper L'Equipe, will resonate with many of tennis’s broadcasters and promotersPhoto: AFP

“Tennis today badly lacks characters,” said Gulbis, whose French Open came to an end when he lost to Gaël Monfils on Wednesday afternoon.

“I respect Roger, Rafa, Novak and Murray but, for me, all four of them are boring players. Their interviews are boring. Honestly, they are c---.”

Gulbis’s comments, published in the French newspaper L’Equipe, will resonate with many of tennis’s broadcasters and promoters, as well as the fans who still flock to see John McEnroe stage mini-tantrums at seniors events around the world.

The 1980s rivalries between McEnroe, Jimmy Connors and Ivan Lendl were full of venom and chicanery. Yet since Roger Federer became tennis’s dominant individual, we have seen a new paradigm in which hugs at the net and warm words of encouragement are the norm.

In Gulbis’s view, this not only makes for tame drama, it is hypocritical.

“It is Federer who started this fashion,” he said. “He has a superb image of the perfect Swiss gentleman. I respect Federer but I don’t like it that young players try to imitate him. When I hear them answer like Roger, I am terrified by phrases like, ‘I had a little bit more success at certain moments and that is how I won.’

“If I win, the guy on the other side of the net, I have sent him home. I do not want to hear in an interview a guy who I will not name, but who I know well that he thinks all his opponents are a---holes, putting on an act.

“I would like interviews to be more like in boxing. When they face each other down at the weigh-in they bring what the fans want: war, blood, emotion.”

It was a terrific tirade from Gulbis, who can afford to be a maverick since his father is an oligarch and he has been rumoured to travel to tournaments in a private Learjet. Always an independent thinker, he has pinpointed a genuine issue for the game.

The image of the sporting saint works perfectly for Federer. His tennis is so serene and graceful that trash talking would seem unnatural.

Yet the sport has developed a stifling culture of politeness and it does not sit so comfortably with everyone. Novak Djokovic, for instance, is a sparky character who has toned down his real personality to avoid creating distractions.

On one issue, though, Gulbis overshot his mark. Asked whether he would be interested in serving on the ATP’s player council, he replied: “It would need that the top players agree to change things.

But they are rather happy that the smaller players are treated like s--- and don’t have enough money to pay for good coaches.”

This seems ungrateful given that Gulbis has just earned £30,000 here – a 25 per cent increase on last year’s figure that was pushed through by the efforts of Federer and the rest of the big four. He may not need the extra money, but plenty of his rivals do.